> At Minneapolis schools, expanded instructional time has led to reduced time for an essential daily activity: lunch. After finding their lunch break only gave them about 11 minutes, two sixth graders took their concerns to the local paper, highlighting the disconnect between healthy-eating messaging and their daily reality.

> The Huffington Post highlighted two NBA stars this week: Shaquille O’Neal—now Dr. O’Neal, having just received his PhD in education, and how his story speaks to changing the college drop-out epidemic—and former shooting guard Trent Tucker, who spoke of the vital importance of education for the future of at-risk kids.

> The Trust for Public Land is building eco-playgrounds at several Queens and Brooklyn schools, providing their students with hands-on experience in landscape architecture and water conservation as they help in designing the effort.

Featured Friday Funding Opportunity:

LEGO Children’s Fund
The LEGO Children’s Fund will provide project-based grants for collaborative programs, either in part or in total, to organizations that focus on early childhood education and development; technology and communication projects that advance learning opportunities; or sport or athletic programs that concentrate on underserved youth.